7 replies to this topic

[Scodo]

I've been extremely busy these past couple weeks, and not had time to play- let alone draw. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up.


The rules of the thread are simple:
The Mech should fit in with the theme, or be related in some way through either the visual design or the employment on the battlefield. If you have an idea for a theme you'd like to see please send it to me in a private message.

The Mech should be something you design and draw specifically for the challenge, not something you already had lying around.

Art can be 2D, 3D, in any medium you prefer. They can be rough sketches, vector line art, full color, what have you. ALL SKILL LEVELS ARE WELCOME!!!

WIP shots are allowed, but please keep the thread clean and only poster another WIP if you have made significant progress.

This weeks challenge: Tanks a Lot, build your mech around a single huge cannon like, like a tank's main gun.

[Bishop Steiner]

Hey, I know you have flexed the "rules" a bit before, so I thought I would toss in one of my designs that fit your billing perfectly. (And I plan to work on a new one for this while watching football today)

the BFG- 2S TARANIS

(I'll let you figure out what the call letters stand for)

Originally a design I made in table top, back in the early to mid 90s, there was a time when the miswording of the rules about weapons occupying more than one critical location in a Mech (used primarily to allow AC/20s to mount easier) actually specifically listed artillery such as the Long Tom (which was pretty much instantly struck from ALL future Master Rules.. darn it!) and caused me to build a mech based all around the Long Tom Rifle.

One thing Clan Warfare showed was that while they were singularly susceptible to artillery, that artillery was generally too slow to be able to re-position and protect themselves, and Clan Warriors considered it so dishonorable (silly Clanners) as to slaughter artillery crews to the last man. Over the years, many units, like the ELH lost essentially their entire compliment of tube artillery.

My solution was to combine the mobilty of a mech with an Artillery Platform (Along with Arrow IV equipped VTOLs). By mounting the largest engine available, and TSM, I was able to create a Chassis capable of running at 84 kph (allowing it to stay away from the Clan units, mostly, most tube artillery maxing out at around 32 kph) JUMP (The jump jets were originally added to act as additional stabilizers when firing the massive cannon) over bad terrain, and, in a pinch defend itself with it's 4 medium lasers, and TSM enhanced kicks which could rip the leg right off any light mech foolish enough to get close.

We did make up some house rules about using the LT in direct fire usage, in which whatever area it was hit directly took 20 pts damage, and every adjacent body part, 10...... seemed like a good idea at the time. One also had to make a pilot roll at significant modifiers to stay standing if hit.

I tried to redo it with the MC2/MW4 "Mini" Long Tom, but TBH, that gun is so frikkin useless in TT, that when it became unusable due to rules corrections, I stopped playing it at all, but I still use it in home games, as a "one off anomaly" type of mech.
(Have considered redesigning it with dual Arrow launchers, and TAG.... that might give Clanners kittens too...)

[Apocalips07]

Hate to see these threads die, But I've been really bussy and I understand if everyone else is too.
The Wanderer, 35 ton designated sniper/suport light mech. Usually outfitted with a specialized AC20 with extended barrel for longer ranges and can carry up to 3 lasers usually light. With it's light armor these mechs are usually seen on the far outskirts of a battle field picking off weakened or preoccupied enemy mechs at extreem range and then moving to another sniping position. Its name comes from the piolets tendency to leave the rest of the lance in search of sniping locations.

[Sennin]

That is an amazing original design Bishop! I know what you mean about the rules change. I had a friend that, if I remember right, mounted two Long Tom Artillery Cannons on a King Crab in place of the AC/20's, he thought it was hilarous. Me being the one on the receiving end..not so much. Anyway, I was wondering if you thought about replacing the Long Tom for a Heavy Gauss Rifle? It wouldn't be an Artillery piece anymore but it would still fit the bill for a "Big Gun" and be usefull against 'Mechs. Solaris Skunk Werks http://www.solarisskunkwerks.com/ is a great program for (re)building table top designs and I am curious to the specs of your Taranis.


[Edit: Changed Long Tom to Thumper, been a while.]
[Edit#2: It was Long Toms. LOL, changed it back. I found the old data file. ]

Edited by Sennin, 16 January 2013 - 10:03 PM.

[Bishop Steiner]

Sennin, on 16 January 2013 - 09:51 PM, said:

That is an amazing original design Bishop! I know what you mean about the rules change. I had a friend that, if I remember right, mounted two Long Tom Artillery Cannons on a King Crab in place of the AC/20's, he thought it was hilarous. Me being the one on the receiving end..not so much. Anyway, I was wondering if you thought about replacing the Long Tom for a Heavy Gauss Rifle? It wouldn't be an Artillery piece anymore but it would still fit the bill for a "Big Gun" and be usefull against 'Mechs. Solaris Skunk Werks http://www.solarisskunkwerks.com/ is a great program for (re)building table top designs and I am curious to the specs of your Taranis.


[Edit: Changed Long Tom to Thumper, been a while.]
[Edit#2: It was Long Toms. LOL, changed it back. I found the old data file. ]

Yeah, I have been fiddling with it, though no anti-mech weapon justifies that oversize barrel. I have toyed with an Ultra AC/20 in that torso, and 2 RAC 2 in the other, but so far have not been in love with any of the compromises. I have played so long I can (usually) build complete designs down to the crits in my head, and seldom use paper except as place holders if I am having a troublesome build.

here is the errata I have from the old build, it was written off the top of my head, so some of it may need tweaks.


BFG-2s TARANIS

Tech Base: Star League
Type: Walker
Tonnage 100 tons
Chassis: Titan 450 Standard w/ Triple Strength Myomers
Power Plant: Magnum 400 Extra-Light
Jump Jets: Yes
-Cruising Speed: 43.2 kph (54.1 kph)
-Flank Speed: 64.2 kph (82.4 kph)
-Jump Capacity: 60 meters
Armor: Gothic Extra Heavy Standard
Armament:
- 1 Rolling Thunder 210mm Long Tom Artillery Rifle
- 4 Defiance B3M Medium Lasers
Manufacturor: Maverick Industries (Port Mosby, Lyran Commonwealth)
Communication System: Olmstead 855 Global Link
Targeting and Tracking System: ROMTECH 125 X Ballistix w/ Tharhes Ares 8 Short Range Tracker

Equipment Mass
IS: 10
Engine: 400 XL 26.5 (36.5)
-walk: 4 (5)
-run: 6 (8)
-Jump 2

Heat Sinks: 10 (20) 0
Gyro: 4 (40.5)
Cockpit: 3 (43.5)
Armor Factor: 224 pts 15.5 (59)
Internal Armor
-Head: 3 9
-Center Torso 31 39
-CT ® 10
-Right/Left Torso 21 25/25
-RT/LT ® 10/10
-Right/Left Arm 17 20/20
-Right/Left Leg 21 28/28

Weapons and Ammo Location Critical Tonnage
- Long Tom LA/LT/CT/RT 30 30 (89)
- Ammo (15) Long Tom RT 4 4 (92)
- Medium Laser (4) RL/RL/LL/LL 4 4 (96)
_ Jump Jets RT/RT/LT/LT 4 4 (100)

Critical Locations:

Head:
1: life support
2: Sensors
3: Cockpit
4: TSM
5: Sensors
6: Life Support

LEft Arm:
1: Shoulder Actuator
2: Upper Arm Actuator
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom
1: Long Tom
2: Long Tom
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom

Left Torso:
1: XL Engine
2: XL Engine
3: XL Engine
4: Jump Jet
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom
1: Long Tom
2: Long Tom
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom

Center Torso
1: Engine
2: Engine
3: Engine
4: Gyro
5: Gyro
6: Gyro
1: Gyro
2: Engine
3: Engine
4: Engine
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom

Right Torso
1: XL Engine
2: XL Engine
3: XL Engine
4: Jump Jet
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom
1: Long Tom
2: Long Tom
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Long Tom
6: Long Tom

RIGHT ARM
1: Shoulder Actuator
2: Upper Arm Actuator
3: Long Tom
4: Long Tom
5: Ammo (Long Tom/5)
6: Ammo (Long Tom/5)
1: Ammo (Long Tom/5)
2: TSM
3: TSM
4: TSM
5: TSM
6: TSM

Left Leg
1: Hip
2: Upper Leg Actuator
3: Lower Leg Actuator
4: Foot Actuator
5: Medium Laser
6: Medium Laser

Right Leg
1: Hip
2: Upper Leg Actuator
3: Lower Leg Actuator
4: Foot Actuator
5: Medium Laser
6: Medium Laser

OVERVIEW:

Artillery has long been an essential element of war, but had always been one of the most problematic too, as the logistics of movement and resupply clashed with the increasingly mobile nature of warfare. During the 4th Succession war, House Davion's Regimental Combat Teams, again and again proved the superiority of the combined arms approach, but also shone a light on the glaring weakness of artillery, it's lack of mobility, inability to traverse difficult terrain, and the atmospheric limitations of the ICE engine.

Viscount Tristan Kell (no relation to Morgan Kell), a veteran of the 4th war, and engineering graduate of the NAIS exchange program with the Lyran commonwealth turned his attention to the problem with his first Battlemech design, the BFG-1S Taranis (originally designated TRN-1S). Named for the Celtic God of Thunder, it was designed to mate the power of the Long Tom with the mobility only a mech can provide. As a strong advocate of the combined arms approach, these units would become a fundamental piece of his order of battle and prove themselves, time and again during the war of 3039, when many less mobile artillery units were lost to Kurita, not a single Taranis was lost. Shortly thereafter orders started to flood Maverick Industries from the Offices of procurement for both House Steiner and Davion. The new Model 2S mates the latest in recovered technologies with some of the newest ideas brought forth by the NAIS.

Capabilities:
Affectionately known by it's designation "BFG" or "Big Frikkin' Gun",The TARANIS is meant as a support unit, but only the new experimental helicopters going through testing at the MI proving grounds can change position faster. This is due to the inclusion of the brand new 400 Magnum XL power plant, mated to NAIS' improved Triple Strength Myomers, allowing the mech to reach speeds of well over 80 kph during the heat of battle. Adding to the mobility, is the mech's ability to jump 60 meters, allowing it to clear most obstacles. The jump jets also are used as a brake for firing the Long Tom, helping negate the unbelievable recoil of this massive weapon. At precisely the moment the weapon fires, the advanced computers automatically fire the jump jets at a level angle. This weapon is fed by a unique. detachable double column box magazine, holding 15 rounds in 2 separate bins, allowing it to be loaded with mixed munitions. When empty the pilot merely has to flip a switch to jettison the empty magazine, which can be replaced with a fresh one in n about 15 seconds, if a trained crew with a loadermech or 2 handed battle mech is present to literally slap the new magazine home.

The mech makes use of the same basic communications suite as the Cyclops series of battlemech, insuring that it can always be reached for fire missions. The long Tom itself is is controlled through a modified ROMTECH artillery Ballistics computer, combined with the heart of a THARhes Ares battlecomputer, which primarily controls the hip mounted medium lasers in point defense, but also allows the TARANIS to level the Long Tom and direct fire at approaching mechs and units, if necessary. The concentrated fury of a long tom shell is usually enough to destroy most medium mechs outright, and will knock even an Atlas off it's feet, with critical damage. The Cannon cannot effectively be used against a moving target at less than 90 meters, but the TARANIS can compliment it's quad of lasers with devastating kicks, particularly when the TSM is engaged.

Deployment:
The Armies of the Federated Commonwealth deploys it's TARANIS mechs in the traditional role in it's artillery divisions, while they are used in lance sized units, usually 3 TARANIS, w/ a Hunchback added for close weapons support, and to use it's hands to aid in reloading the TARANIS magazines when they run dry. Future TO&E shows that Lt Col. Kell is planning to further augment these units with the new Mockingbird fast VTOLs, equipped with the experimental new Arrow IV missile systems. (He has even been toying with Arrow equipped Aerospace fighters). The mobility of these units promise to force a total re-evaluation of combat doctrine, something of which Steiner is particularly pleased.

Variants:
The only variant to date is the original 1S model, which used no advanced tech. Gone are the Triple Strength Myomers. The 400 XL is replaced with a VLAR 300 Standard, downgrading it's top speed to 54 kph, the double heat-sinks are replaced with 18 standard. These are still being manufactured and, the plan is to continue to do so for clients, while they are opening an entirely new wing to produce the premium 2S once it has finished all it's shakedown trials, expected to be sometime in late 3050.


***Construction Note: This design was built using the Battletech Compendium:The Rule of Warfare (4th Edition) Level 2 Rules (circa 1994), and is no longer consistent with Current Tournament Rules. As of 1994 the rules stated (improper punctuation theirs): "The critical slots for AC/20 type weapons, Arrow IV missile systems, and artillery weapons (Long Tom, Thumper, and Sniper)can be split between two adjacent locations. For all other weapons and equipment, all critical slots must be in a single location" (page 102, paragraph 4). Due to the specific naming of the Long Tom piece (and noting the short barrel Long Tom Cannon did not exist yet, being ret-conned in much later), this "abuse" of the adjacent location rule was deemed legal for tournament play at the time. Of course... that was then, this is now, but for those who enjoy combined arm units for household games, I felt the design still had merit for home play.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 17 January 2013 - 03:24 PM.

[Bishop Steiner]

this is a take off that... not a true "Single weapon" so much as a single weapon system. Dual LB-10X "main gun".... built off a combination of Hunchback and Cataphract chassis.

[Sennin]

LOL I didnt realize you mounted the actual full artillery piece! http://www.sarna.net...Artillery_Piece

I thought you mounted the Long Tom Cannon. http://www.sarna.net...rtillery_Cannon

That's just outright creative and the fluff is excellent. Great design!

[Tarogato]

Bishop Steiner, on 17 January 2013 - 05:05 PM, said:

this is a take off that... not a true "Single weapon" so much as a single weapon system. Dual LB-10X "main gun".... built off a combination of Hunchback and Cataphract chassis. <image>

Shameless necro...

Found this while looking into the CTF-0X variant. Was your sketch intended to mimic the 0X?

A Cataphract with two ballistics in the right torso, including a high mount, and ECM, would breathe some life into the chassis again. I'd love to see this variant come to being along side the MASC variant - the CTF-3L.